Gary-Summer: DC-Potomac River

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Saturday, April 1, 2023

April 1, 2023 - Mt Vernon

Title: April 1, 2023 - Mt Vernon
Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's : Flowers and Plants

Hike Info:

Type:Tourist

Description:

It is raining today. But hopefully by noon it will taper off. We are going to George and Martha Washington’s place today in Mt Vernon. Most of the travel will be done via the Metro and bus.So we should be good.

Upper Gardens

Got up at 7, and like usual read and had my quiet time this morning. Sherri gets up a little after 8 and we have granola for breakfast. Then we get off on our hour long trip at 9:50. We take the Red Line, transferring over to the Blue Line “special” at Metro Center. This takes us all the way down to Huntington, which is really on the Yellow Line. When we got out of the Metro, it was raining pretty good. The bus has a good shelter under the Metro lines. We waited about 25 minutes for Bus 101. This bus takes us all the way down to George Washington’s Mt Vernon. and arrives about 11:45.

It is still raining, but not as bad. We show our tickets and get admitted. I asked about getting to the Mansion and was told, less than 10 minute walk-we have about an hour. The first thing we do is to watch an introduction video of about 20 minutes. We also get a couple web sites which are useful. The first is an interactive virtual tour of Mt Vernon. Then the second is a self-guide audio tour around the grounds.

Overseer's Quarters

The Line

When we emerge from the video,the rain has almost stopped. Since we have about 40 minutes to use before we get in line for the Mansion tour, we start our own tour. The first stop is the Upper Garden. Many tulips are out, not quite open as the sun is still hiding. Still of interest with their fiery red and blazing yellow. Other flowers are pure white with some pinks in the trees. The edge is surrounded with Boxwood shrubs. The tour tells us that Washington's first attempt was more of a squarish design. This has interest. as it is a walled garden, oval in nature with paths around the edge and bisecting the oval. It makes for easy strolling and admiring. The center of the garden is a vegetable garden, not yet up.

Newest room-entertaining area

We continue on our tour and look at the slave quarters. The quarters are divided with men in one area and women and children in another. They slept on bunk beds. All of these people would be working in the mansion or close by. Those who worked in the fields would have had different quarters. Various places talk about how the slaves were not necessarily a happy lot under Washington. There were work slowdowns, equipment breakage, and feigning of illness. Still if you look at Washington in his day, I suspect that he was probably better with his slaves than most slaveholders.

By now it is 12:50 and we start edging into line for out 1:05 time. But they definitely are not ready as there is about a 15 minute wait to get in from those who had a 12:50 time. So we go off and look at the Overseer's quarters and the botanical gardens. Washington felt that the wealthy landowners should gain knowledge of how to plant and produce and share it with those who could not afford experiments. So he found out various things, like lamb’s manure grew crops the best. Also he cross bred various plants to get better quality plants.

Washington's death bed

By now it is 1:05 and we get in line. This is a regular Disneyland line in length. We stood in line for about 20 minutes before getting into the mansion. They have us snaked through the various rooms, with a guide interpreting what we are seeing, giving background and usage. Apparently Washington liked green as there are several rooms which have been painted various shades of green. Also the outside of the house is being renovated, so you can see the wood under the stone-looking exterior. They have on display the white bed where Washington died, and a few other items. What it almost seemed to me was similar to going to an open house and looking at another person’s furniture. Only this was a really famous person from 200+ years ago.

The sun is shining really nicely now and it is turning into a wonderful day. We stroll down to the chairs in back of the house. This gives a magnificent view of the Potomac. Sherri and I enjoy our seats and the view for about 20 minutes. We then go down the road looking at a variety of shops, including where Washington kept his horses. There is a definite agricultural smell to this area. In the coach house are a couple of wagons which have a chair mounted on the top of it. It looks like it would bounce around a lot and not be comfortable. But at least the person and chair would not go flying. On the other side of the stables are some sheep-the source of the agricultural smell!

We wander down towards the wharf, but get distracted by going to what is called the Old Tomb. This tomb is the one Washington’s family had used for awhile. Washington felt it was not suitable, either in location, size or appearance for his family. But this was where he was interned. It was related that over the years his coffin and shroud deteriorated. Some of it due to nature and some because souvenir seekers would obtain small chunks.

Old Crypt

A grandson of Washington fulfilled Washington’s desire to have a crypt made at the location he wanted. Why the delay? There was the push to have him buried at a “more” fitting location, such as in DC. Specifically, do you remember the star in the Capitol building from our March 22nd tour? The thought was to have Washington buried under that. But Washington’s grandson fulfilled his wishes and both Martha and George have their final resting place here.

New Crypt where the Washingtons lie

But they are not the only bodies on this property. There is a memorial location. a little ways away from Washington’s tomb where the Negros were buried. Two memorial stones are there. One of the guides noted that sonar is being used to figure out where bodies are buried. There has not been a push to actually dig up the bodies and identify who is buried where.

Slave Cemetery marker

During this time, we get communications from Andrea. We talked for a time and responded. Seems strange taking care of family business this far away at George’s place.

We continued our walk down to the wharf. It looks more like where the wharf was rather than a replica. I think the various tourist ships must debark and embark here. It gives a good view of the Potomac and how wide it is. A sign indicated that it is slightly more than a mile wide here. A very different river than the cascading rivers we have out west.

Early on in our visit, we were told about the bread man. We found him, but he has sold out his goods. But Sherri and Justin talk about how he bakes and the ingredients he uses. This is the beginning of the farm lands. We wander through it. I would guess this is not big enough to support the Washington’s, guests and slaves. So there must be some other place as well. One of the more unusual buildings on Washington’s place is the 16-sided barn. He used it as a threshing place. The floor is not solid wood. So the workers would bring the wheat in and have the horses run over it, causing the wheat kernels to fall below where the workers would gather the usable wheat.

We stop nearby and rest for a few minutes and are about to climb up to the main area when a shuttle bus comes.

Sherri at the Wharf

It is getting late and we are semi-tired, so we take the bus up. This drops us off close to the visitor center, and restrooms which we avail ourselves of. Inside the visitor center is a museum which we explore. By the time we get done, it is 4:45. We try to round up some food from the food court, but they have all closed up. We only procure a bag of chips.

Inside of Hexagon Barn

And now to find the place to pick up the bus. We want 101 to take us back to the Blue Line. It is about a 20 minute wait. We talked for a while with a gentleman who I think works here on Mt Vernon. We are joined by another man. I think they know the route only slightly more than I do. Bus 151 pulls up and they ask the driver some questions, but he points them to 101. A few minutes later 101 pulls up and we all get on.

A quiet and long ride to Huntington. I occasionally shut my eyes, but do not really fall asleep. After about half an hour, we reached the Metro station. Two fire trucks and a police car are there. When one of the men asks a fireman about what is happening, he only says that “all is good.” So we go up and board the Blue Line. It makes its way to Metro Center where we hop on the Red Line to NoMa. And our day of travel is done by about 7:15.

We both are tired and rest for a little while and then make our way to the store to buy a few things. This might be our last time over there. I end up going to bed at 10. I do not know when Sherri comes to bed because I go to bed by the sound of the washing machine going.

Some thoughts I had as I was going through the estate. I do not think Washington was a man of great thoughts, at least not those which got put down on paper. When touring various other museums, monuments and memorials, words are etched in stone which causes my mind to ponder their meaning and how they affect my life. But around Washington’s estate, there were quotes, but none which made my heart soar. Still, Washington was a great man, particularly when you consider the respect the people around him had for him. I think it was how he carried himself with integrity and wisdom which applied the great thoughts of others both to himself and to his nation.

In a great many ways Washington should be someone to look to for example. He did things, such as not establish a dictatorship or monarchy which set the tone, even though he could have. He tried to do right with his slaves. But still he had slaves. This was because of the pressures of his society, he felt that freeing his slaves would cause division within the nation which it could not withstand. Which is our current time issue: how can we work towards a”more perfect union” without splitting the nation? This is the continuing question we face as a nation.

Extra Photo's

Sitting room

Line to get in Mansion

Potomac

Upper Garden

Vines on wall of Upper Gardens

Another bedroom

Chair and Carriage

Old marker for slave cemetery

Flowers and Plants

Tuesday, March 28, 2023

March 28, 2023 - Washington DC

Title: March 28, 2023 - Washington DC

Hike Info : Description : Background : Extra Photo's : Flowers and Plants

Hike Info:

Type:Tourist

Walk 7.7 miles

Description:

I slept well last night-I usually do. But this morning I was wondering how late I slept--only until 7:15. There are no timed places we are going to today, so it is a day which we will move a bit slower. Sherri got up a bit later-she says it felt good to sleep in.

Today may be the highlight of our DC trip. Even though there have been enough highlights already. We will be walking around the Tidal Basin area with the hope of catching the cherry trees in pretty near full bloom. According to the Facebook page by the National Mall, they are slightly past full bloom and shedding a few of their petals now. Should be a good walk. Here is our schedule for the day:

Tidal Basin and Jefferson Memorial

Because we plan on also staying a bit late and seeing some of the Washington DC lights at night, we take off later and just spend a relaxing time in the morning. We take off around 1pm and travel the Red Line to Metro Center, then catch the Silver Line to the Smithsonian Station. When we emerge, we realize we should be taking this route anytime we are at the west end of the Mall. We are learning.

Japanese Friendship Urn

When we emerge from the station, the Washington Monument is there right before us. It is a bit startling to see it first thing, looming over us. We start our 15 minute walk to the Tidal Basin area. It is not as crowded as it was Sunday when we were in this area. I suspect the reason being is that it is a Tuesday and we are slightly past peak bloom. Still the trees we see are wonderful.

Cherry Blossoms and Jefferson Memorial

We hit the top of the Tidal Basin and loop counter-clockwise. The first thing we hit is the Japanese Lantern. It was a gift from the Japanese, about the same time the cherry trees were brought over-except it did not make it to the US until the 1950’s. Also this is the area where the first cherry trees were planted. An NPS volunteer, Patty P, met us and talked with us about the area and gave us a map.

We then go over the Kutz Bridge. Kutz was a general who guided the construction of many of the bridges in DC. The city decided one needed to be named after him. After crossing the bridge, we came across an NPS information tent. I got a few stamps for my NPS Passport book. Then we go on our now clockwise tour of the Basin. The walkway is crowded with all of us excited tourists, enjoying the trees. We stop often to enjoy the trees and the view of the Jefferson Memorial.

Hains Point

Cuban Friendship Urn

Soon we came to cross the Outlet Bridge. This allows water from the Tidal Basin to flow into the Washington Channel and then back into the Potomac River. Here we make a decision: do we go on the longer loop around Hains Point or just loop the Tidal Basin? The day is only slightly cool and the skies are pleasant, so we do the longer trek.

Our route takes us into the East Potomac Park, along the Washington Channel. There is a sidewalk next to the Channel. But it is being pretty badly broken up, so large sections are blocked off. From some of the signs, there is talk about how the sea level is rising, causing tides to back up, going over the edge of the seawalls. This is the cause of the sidewalk breaking up. We see evidence of this later on when there is driftwood ten feet up on the grass beyond the sidewalk. So we do a combination of walking on the sidewalk, walking on the grass and walking on the road.

About half way down the Channel, we stop for lunch. Our normal of peanut butter and Nutella, with chips. It is pleasant just sitting on a bench facing the Channel. Sherri asks about the buildings across the way. One of them is the National War College. There is also the Inter-American Defense College, but these are not what Sherri is asking about. There is a row of houses across from us. According to Google, that is exactly what they are-a row of houses.

Walking, particularly when you are not looking for something such as a building or a monument, gives the mind a chance to ponder questions. I asked three of Sherri. They are Percy Walker type of questions

George Mason Memorial
Does someone telling you about a place change your perception when you experience that place?
Is it better to experience a place spontaneously or with the expectations of other people’s perspectives?
If you do not have preconceived notions about a place, will you enjoy it less if you are not told about it? If so, would you want to increase your enjoyment by being told about a place?

Jefferson

And so with that, we reach the far point of the loop, Hains Point. We stand here for a few minutes and then start back on the Potomac side of the loop. More of the same, fishermen trying to get a few extra calories to their diet, children playing and many people like us admiring the cherry blossoms. But one thing is starting to press on us: where are the bathrooms? The first one is closed, but towards the end of the loop, we come across an open one: Relief!

As we come to the end of the Hains Point Loop, I look for what has been called the most obscure monument: the Cuban American Friendship Urn. Unfortunately, it must be pretty well hidden, or at least behind a construction fence as I do not see it. At least until I consult a map and track it down.

That just means we continue on to the next memorial. That is the one for George Mason. I think this formally marks the end of our loop. But what is interesting is that this memorial leads one to think that many of the great ideas which Thomas Jefferson had may have had their germ with Mason. Something for me to look up.

And speaking of Jefferson, his Memorial is next up as we restart on the Tidal Basin Loop. Jefferson’s Memorial may be the most graceful of the big three. It may be because this memorial is circular which reflects the circularness of the Tidal Basin, or how it seems to look out across the western part of Washington. In both the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, there is an element of isolation, where the men are alone in a large expanse. Some of this is to emphasize their greatness, but some of it is to show they are alone in their achievements. Something to remember.

As we circle around the Tidal Basin, we go over the Inlet Bridge-the pair of the Outlet Bridge we went over earlier. We miss the Japanese Pagoda, but are faced with the large open air monument to FDR . This memorial is broken into four parts, one for each term he served. Like usual, we come in from the backside. Each term shows something of significance. I do not know if it is because the waterfalls are not working or something else, I did not feel the inspiration like I have at other monuments.

Unfinished statue for his unfinished work

The sun is going down and the chill is in the air, but there are a couple more areas we want to travel to. As we continue our trek around the Basin, we see that there is some sort of preparation for the Cherry Blossom Festival. Booths are set up and NPS personnel are nearby to make sure all is right with the world.

Our next stop is the Martin Luther King, Jr Memorial Martin Luther King, Jr Memorial. This is on the Basin, very close to the Japanese Lantern where we started our walk. Maybe it is because we lived through his time, but there is a certain amount of awe as we enter the area. We go in between two huge white stones. King’s statue is facing away from us-I think that is intentional. But as we circle around it, the sun catches his face giving the white stone more texture than just a plain white plaster should. Surrounding King is an array of his quotes. Many we have read in his book of sermons, Strength to Love. Some are new.. All are powerful and cause us to be silent in front of them.

We walk across Independence Ave NW and enter the Korean War Veterans Memorial.The first thing we see is the names of Americans etched in stone, by service rank and name. Like the Vietnam Memorial, it is powerful to see all the names of those who died. There is a wreath. We find out later, this is placed at the Memorial every few days in gratitude by the South Korean Embassy.

The names circle the monument. But the most pungent part of the memorial is outside of the circle. There is a wall with mostly faces. Some full bodies are shown with some equipment. The idea is the wall shows real people doing their jobs in the military. Beside the wall are 19 soldiers on patrol. The soldiers represent the different branches and races who fought in the war. It is eerie seeing these people at eye level.

As we avoid another group of students, we stumble on a talk being given by an NPS ranger. He is quite dynamic in his presentation and goes over the symbolism involved in this memorial. Such as the 19 soldiers were to be 38 for the 38th parallel dividing North and South Korea. They could not get enough land to accomplish this, but when you see the patrol’s reflection on the wall, there are 38 of them.

After his talk, he wants to talk with us for some more. We talked for about half an hour. Just about misc things. He is the same age as us. By the time we go our separate ways, it is dark and the area is lit up with the lights on the monuments. The Korean Memorial takes on a different look at night, particularly the wall becomes vibrant with the people looking out.

By the time we descend into the Metro Smithsonian Station, it is 9pm. We get off at NoMa. Before getting to our room, we stop and pick up a few groceries. So we get back around 10pm. Pretty tired and ready for bed, I close my eyes someplace after 11.

Background

Note: NPS has three easy loops in the area which we manage to do most of all three loops. All of the loops have descriptions about what you are seeing at certain points of the loops.

Extra Photo's